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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
March 10
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Today's Pathway:
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We saw yesterday from verse 17 that believers are going to suffer in this life, particularly if they are attempting to walk with the Lord in opposition to the world. However, God promises that those who suffer with Christ will also be glorified with Him. II Timothy 2:12 puts it this way,
"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him".
The willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ, and the willingness to keep trusting Him in spite of the trials that we face, is something that God honors. In verse 18 Paul helps us to get a proper perspective on suffering. He states that the suffering we experience in our lifetime can not begin to be compared to the glories of eternity. There are two areas of comparison here. First, the amount of time that we spend suffering on Earth is infinitesimal compared to the time we will spend in Heaven. Second, the amount of pain that we will go through during our lifetime is minimal compared to the glory that we will receive in Heaven. Paul, who certainly knew what it was like to suffer, wrote this to the church at Corinth:
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (II Corinthians 4:17).
John MacArthur described it this way,
"As followers of Christ, our suffering comes from men, whereas our glory comes from God. Our suffering is earthly, whereas our glory is heavenly. Our suffering is short, whereas our glory is forever. Our suffering is trivial, whereas our glory is limitless. Our suffering is in our mortal and corrupted bodies, whereas our glory will be in our perfected and imperishable bodies."
What an encouragement these verses are!
In verse 19-25 Paul develops this topic even further. In verse 19 he writes,
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God".
We should probably define some terms here. "Earnest expectation" is one word in Greek, and it means an "intense anticipation" or "longing". It is used only one other time in the Bible, and in both instances it refers to the second coming of Christ. The word "creature" is the same Greek word that is translated "creation" in verse 22. It is used in different ways in the New Testament, and could refer to the whole of creation (Romans 1:20), to mankind (Mark 16:15), or to believers (II Cor. 5:17). I believe that the context indicates that it refers to the totality of creation. The word translated "manifestation" means a removal of a covering. The concept is similar to when a statue has been completed and a veil thrown over it, and then people come for the unveiling of the work of art. Of course, the "sons of God" are those who have received Christ as Savior. So, when we put it all together, the verse is saying that all of creation is longing for the day when the covering is removed from believers. What covering is that? It is this covering of sinful flesh, and it will be removed when we receive our glorified bodies. William Newell illustrated it this way:
"It will be as when sky rockets are sent up on a festival night: rockets which, covered with brown paper, seem quite common and unattractive, but up they are sent into the air and then they are revealed in all colors of beauty, and the multitude waiting below shout in admiration. Now the saints are wrapped up in the common brown paper of flesh, looking outwardly like other folks. But the whole creation is waiting for their unveiling at Christ's coming, for they are connected with Christ, one with Him, and are to be glorified with Him at His coming."
What a day that will be!
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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